Bengaluru airport is busiest in South, clocks 22.5 percent growth
With an overall growth of 22.5 per cent in 2016, Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) continues to be the busiest airport in South India. In 2016, KIA had 22.18 million passengers. KIA also witnessed the highest single day traffic with 75,515 passengers on December 21. This was the highest since KIA started operations in 2008. Also, air traffic movement increased by 19.9 per cent, with the airport now connecting 45 airlines to 66 destinations in India and abroad. The airport saw a record-breaking two million passengers travelling in November 2016 and an all-time monthly high of 2.15 million passengers in December 2016 – the single highest traffic in a month for any airport in South India. Earlier in the year, KIA had reached the landmark of welcoming its 100 millionth passenger in 2016. Cargo movement saw a 9.4 per cent growth in 2016. G V Sanjay Reddy, Managing Director, KIA, said, “It was another strong year for us at the airport. Despite many challenges, we have grown exponentially in terms of passenger traffic. Our cargo business has seen an incremental growth which reaffirms our growth strategy to develop our airport as the cargo hub of South India,” he said. In 2016, the total cargo was 3,14,060 million tonnage compared to 2,87,198 in 2015. Keenan Allen Jersey
Chandigarh:Limited watch hours at international airport may hit 70 per cent civil operations, fear officials
Around 70 per cent of the civil operations at Chandigarh International airport may be affected if the Indian Air Force (IAF) launches runway upgrade work by limiting the watch hours to between 5am-1pm. Airport Authority officials also believe that two international flights operating from Chandigarh Airport could also see a temporary closure as it is “impossible” to get slots in Dubai and Sharjah, as per the feasibility of the Chandigarh airport. Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the Chandigarh Air Force Station had recently issued a letter to all the commercial airlines operating from Chandigarh that the ATC anticipates starting the work for resurfacing, extension and widening of the runway and taxi tracks on the Chandigarh airfield from the month of April. The letter had said that the runway would remain open for commercial airlines only between 5 am till 1 pm during the resurfacing work. The letter was, however, later withdrawn. Last week, the Central government gave an assurance to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, saying that there would be no curtailment of flight operations at the airport because of re-carpeting of the runway in the months of March and April. A senior Airport Authority of India official told Chandigarh Newsline on Wednesday that if the IAF comes up with the same plans and limits the watch hours, the decision would hit the airport’s operations badly. “They have given assurance in the court. But, if in the coming days they come up with such a plan again, the AAI won’t agree to it as it would cause huge inconvenience to the general public. Several flights won’t agree to operate at the airport within those limited hours,” said the official. He added that two international flights are unlikely to operate, as it won’t be easy to get the slots in Dubai and Sharjah. Cortez Kennedy Jersey
On Govt table: Plan to name, rename airports after cities, not people
The government is considering a proposal to rename existing airports as well as future greenfield airports after cities and not personalities, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha has told The Indian Express. He said the proposal of naming airports after cities is being examined by the government and a final view in this regard is expected be taken. “That matter is under investigation. We are evaluating how best to deal with that issue,” Sinha said when asked about the government’s view on naming airports after cities, instead of naming them after personalities. Sources said that internal deliberations have been held on this matter and a view has emerged that the names of airports should be only after cities. The ministry also discussed the idea of renaming existing airports after cities but it is not clear whether a final decision has been arrived at in this regard. The ministry had last year examined the proposal to name the airports by the name of the city in which they are located. This was discussed in light of perceived inconvenience caused to passengers and foreign tourists who may not be familiar with Indian personalities. The government has so far not released any official policy in this regard. A set of policy guidelines with regard to naming of airports are likely to be finalised after these are cleared by the Union Cabinet. The terminals of the airports can be allowed to be named after eminent personalities, as suggested by the respective state governments, sources said. Blake Bortles Womens Jersey
More firms will participate in NMIA project bid: Cidco MD
Cidco is positive that more firms would participate in the bid for the development of its ambitious Navi Mumbai International Airport project, a senior development authority official has said. The bid closes on February 13 and already two extensions have been given for the same. “In the last two bids only one out of the four who had qualified in the first round has submitted the papers. Hence there was a need for the third extension which closes on February 13,” Cidco, managing director, Bhushan Gagrani, told reporters today. “The developers have discussed the matter with the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary and we are hopeful that this time more than two bids will be there. If there is only one bid then the government has to take a call on the same,” said Gagrani. He said development of the infrastructure on the plots for the project affected has been moving on a fast pace and should be ready by May 2017. The allotment of plots to all the affected has been completed, he said and added that the project affected have been accommodated in ten villages. Joe Theismann Authentic Jersey
Delays in new aircraft addition to hit IndiGo’s expansion plan
Delays in adding new aircraft to its fleet have led IndiGo to push back plans of more flights to Gulf countries and Southeast Asia, marking the first such deferment in the expansion of its overseas network by India’s biggest commercial airline by market share. The Gurgaon-based airline, which is seeking to add Qatar and Sharjah to its list of destinations, has told the Civil Aviation Ministry in a letter last month that proposed route additions will be deferred by at least a month. Delays in inducting new aircraft have led the company to postpone the plans, according to the letter seen by ET. “IndiGo is, however, unable to commence operations to Sharjah and Doha and on the Kozhikode-Muscat route in the month of March 2017 as delivery of four aircraft scheduled for the month of March 2017 is now falling toward end-March 2017early April 2017, such that these aircraft will be able to enter into service progressively only by mid-April 2017. As such, IndiGo will be in a position to commence flights on India-Sharjah and India-Doha routes… and KozhikodeMuscat route progressively only be tween 1st April and 15th April 2017,“ IndiGo’s letter dated January 24 says. Jaylon Smith Authentic Jersey
Singapore Airlines to buy 39 Boeing planes for $13.8 bn
Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced today an order for a total of 39 Boeing passenger planes worth $13.8 billion as part of its growth plans for the next decade. The carrier said in a statement that it had signed a letter of intent with the US manufacturer for 20 777—9s and 19 787—10s, with options for six more of each aircraft, bringing the total to 51 if exercised. “Today’s major order for widebody aircraft enables us to continue operating a modern and fuel—efficient fleet, providing the SIA Group with additional expansion opportunities to ensure that we retain our industry—leading position,” chief executive Goh Choon Phong said in a statement. Johnny Bower Jersey
Indian skies safest; action taken against erring pilots: Raju
Asserting that Indian skies are the safest in the world, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today said there will be no compromise on safety and security and action is being taken against erring pilots. The Minister told the Lok Sabha that three instances had come to the notice of aviation regulator DGCA where fake documents were submitted for getting pilot licences and action was being taken. “There will no compromise on safety or security… Indian skies are the safest in the world,” Raju said during Question Hour, adding that India is also the fastest growing domestic aviation market. During the last three years and the current year, only one case came to the notice of DGCA on December 15, 2016 in which a pilot of Air India had flown an aircraft with a lapsed licence and was immediately suspended, Raju said. To a query about instances of submitting fake documents for pilot licences, the Minister said there were three cases in the last nearly four years. While two instances happened in 2016, one pilot was disqualified from holding licence through an order on February 7, 2017, he added. Various steps are taken by the DGCA to detect forgery in obtaining pilot licence such as “inclusion of item for checking pilot licenses system during the audit or main base inspection of airlines”. Responding to a supplementary question, Raju said it is a fact that some aviation training institutes are not maintaining the standards and efforts are on to ensure that such things do not happen. “Improvement is a continuous process,” he added. To another question, Raju said the issue of congestion at airports is being taken care by the Airports Authority of India. Kyle Wilber Jersey
Air Works on the block as top investors look to exit
Air Works, a Gurgaon-based aircraft maintenance and repair service provider that paints a third of all planes produced by Airbus as per specifications of the airlines buying them, is on the block. Top investors such as Punj Lloyd Aviation and GTI Capital, which together own majority stake in the company, are looking to exit the business in the next twelve months, Air Works managing director Vivek Gour said. “We have long-term investors and it is our mandate to provide them liquidity,” he told ET. The company expects to be valued at Rs 2,000 crore, Gour said. “The management will continue to retain its stake in the company post any secondary sale of shares by investors,” he said. Gour and certain members of the senior management team collectively own a 20 per cent stake in the company. Air Works claims to be the largest independent flight maintenance and repair organisation (MRO) in India. It provides maintenance services to carriers such as SpiceJet and Vistara at its facility in Hosur, on the outskirts of Bengaluru. GMR is the only other service provider that maintains aircraft for third parties. Air India and Jet Airways have in-house aircraft maintenance arms. Air Works also provides transit checks at 14 airports for multiple foreign carriers. Founded in 1951 by PS Menon and BG Menon, the company has grown through acquisitions since Gour’s appointment as the head of its business in 2010. It acquired a controlling stake in Air Livery, the largest aircraft refinishing company in Europe in 2010, along with its painting facility in Toulouse, France, located next to Airbus’ manufacturing site, as part of its purchase of Aero Technique Espace four years ago. Air Works recorded revenues ofRs 650 crore for the year ended March 2016. Experts see big scope for third party flight MROs in the country where air traffic is rising rapidly. “Over 90 per cent of aircraft maintenance work is presently outsourced by Indian carriers due to onerous taxes in India. Once local regulations ease, domestic service providers will see their business grow substantially,” said Amber Dubey, head of aerospace and defence at KPMG. According to estimates compiled by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), India will be among the five fastest growing civil aviation markets in terms of passenger traffic additions by 2034. Air Works, meanwhile, is in the process of signing a contract with Rolls Royce for maintenance and repairs of helicopters fitted with the latter’s engines. Before joining Air Works, Gour was chief financial officer at IT services firm Genpact. He also sits on the board of Nasdaq-listed Makemytrip. com. Julian Edelman Womens Jersey
‘No fixed limit for VGF in regional air connectivity plan’
Government today said the limit has not been fixed for viability gap funding to airlines under the regional connectivity scheme. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha told the Rajya Sabha that an airline operator is expected to start services under the scheme within six months after award of the routes. The ambitious scheme — which seeks to connect unserved and under-served airports — provides for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to the participating airlines. It is to be funded by the Centre as well as the state government concerned. In a written reply, Sinha said the government intends to make regional air connectivity affordable by providing financial support in the form of VGF to meet the gap between the cost of airline operations and expected revenue on such routes. “There is no fixed percentage of VGF in the scheme at present,” he noted. According to the minister, the VGF amount would depend on the stage length and “VGF cap for operation through Category I fixed wing aircraft (aircraft with seating capacity of less than 20 seats) ranges from Rs 2,470 for 150 kilometres to Rs 5,730 per RCS seat up to 500 kilometres”. Nikita Zadorov Jersey
Air India expected to post improved profit for 2016-17: Government
Having reported an operating profit of Rs 105 crore for 2015-16 fiscal, Air India is expected to post an improved operating profit margin this year as well, even as liquidity constraints continue to impact the smooth performance of the national carrier, government said Tuesday. Air India, over the years and especially since the implementation of the turnaround plan, has been constantly improving its operational as well as financial performance, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha. In the financial year 2015-16, the company posted an operating profit of Rs 105 crore, he said, adding, “In the financial year 2016-17 also, the company has been steadily improving its all-round performance and it is expected that the company would again post an improved operating profit margin in the current fiscal also.” Raekwon McMillan Jersey